The Categories of Aristotle
SPIRITAN SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY ISIENU-NUSKKA
AN AFFILIATE OF
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA NSUKKA
TOPIC
THE CATEGORIES OF ARISTOTLE
COURSE
INTRODUCTION TO METAPHYSICS 1
NAME
MABKWE NICHOLAS CHUKWUNWEIKE
REG. NO 09/UN/SI/A/0826
LECTURER
REV. FR. DR. B. ABANUKA C.S.Sp.
DATE JANUARY 2011
INTRODUCTION
Aristotle (384-322BC) is one of the most influential philosophers of the western tradition and had many philosophical works credited to him. In his treatise on logic collectively known as “Organon”, Aristotle gave two preliminary treatises; “The Categories and De Interpretatione (on interpretation) dealing with terms and with propositions respectively. This paper is an attempt to look at the categories from Aristotle’s perspective. Hence it is necessary to define the term category (ies) from a general point of view first, so as to create enabling environment to delve into the categories of Aristotle.
THE TERM CATEGORY (IES) In singular form, category according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is a class or group of people or things regarded as having certain features in common. Etymologically, the word itself is derived from the Greek word “Kategorein” which has the meaning of “predicate”. Thus, the categories signify different ways of predicating something or better still, different modes of existence. The exact same meaning is also found in the Latin interpretation “praedicamenta” from the verb “praedicare” meaning to assert.
ARISTOTLE’S CATEGORIES Aristotle’s categories is a singularly important work of philosophy, which not only presents the backbone of Aristotle’s own philosophical theorizing, but has exerted an unparalleled influence on the systems of many of the greatest philosophers in the western tradition. The set of doctrines in the categories provides the frame work of inquiry for a wide variety of Aristotle’s philosophical investigations, ranging from his discussions of time and change in the physics, to the science of
AN AFFILIATE OF
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA NSUKKA
TOPIC
THE CATEGORIES OF ARISTOTLE
COURSE
INTRODUCTION TO METAPHYSICS 1
NAME
MABKWE NICHOLAS CHUKWUNWEIKE
REG. NO 09/UN/SI/A/0826
LECTURER
REV. FR. DR. B. ABANUKA C.S.Sp.
DATE JANUARY 2011
INTRODUCTION
Aristotle (384-322BC) is one of the most influential philosophers of the western tradition and had many philosophical works credited to him. In his treatise on logic collectively known as “Organon”, Aristotle gave two preliminary treatises; “The Categories and De Interpretatione (on interpretation) dealing with terms and with propositions respectively. This paper is an attempt to look at the categories from Aristotle’s perspective. Hence it is necessary to define the term category (ies) from a general point of view first, so as to create enabling environment to delve into the categories of Aristotle.
THE TERM CATEGORY (IES) In singular form, category according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is a class or group of people or things regarded as having certain features in common. Etymologically, the word itself is derived from the Greek word “Kategorein” which has the meaning of “predicate”. Thus, the categories signify different ways of predicating something or better still, different modes of existence. The exact same meaning is also found in the Latin interpretation “praedicamenta” from the verb “praedicare” meaning to assert.
ARISTOTLE’S CATEGORIES Aristotle’s categories is a singularly important work of philosophy, which not only presents the backbone of Aristotle’s own philosophical theorizing, but has exerted an unparalleled influence on the systems of many of the greatest philosophers in the western tradition. The set of doctrines in the categories provides the frame work of inquiry for a wide variety of Aristotle’s philosophical investigations, ranging from his discussions of time and change in the physics, to the science of
Bibliography: BRUGGER, W. & BAKER, K.: “Categories” in Philosophical Dictionary. New York: Drams associates Inc., 1966, 51-55. FLEW, A.: “Aristotle,” in The Dictionary of Philosophy. London: Pan Book, 1984, 160-163. HALVERSON, W.A.: Concise Introduction to Philosophy; 2nd Edition. New York: Random House, 1967. OZUMBA, G.O.: A Concise Introduction to Epistemology. Calabar: Ebenezer Printing Press & Computer Service, 2001. SPANGLER M.: Logic; an Aristotelian Approach, rev. ed. Maryland: University Press of America Inc., 1993. STUMPF, S.E.: Philosophy; History & Problem. North America: McGraw-Hill Inc. 1994.